15 Mike Brown (Harlequins) Not many players have the ability – or stamina – to be outstanding for club and country without breaking stride. Brown has been brilliant all season.
14 David Lemi (Worcester) The best wings are lethal regardless of how their team are faring. The 32-year-old Lemi is as quicksilver as any.
13 Vereniki Goneva (Leicester) The Premiership's top try-scorer with 12 from 17 games. Equally dangerous on the wing or at outside-centre.
12 Luther Burrell (Northampton) An example to all players; if at first you don't succeed, stick at it.
11 David Strettle (Saracens) Sharp, alert and particularly lethal on the extremities of Saracens' artificial pitch. Scored 11 tries this season.
10 Owen Farrell (Saracens) Has matured since the Lions tour into a fly-half who can dominate games whether he is kicking goals or not.
9 Danny Care (Harlequins) The season he had been waiting for – now England's starting No9 and the linchpin of Harlequins' fast-tempo game.
1 Joe Marler (Harlequins) The revised scrummaging laws have helped him and his work rate is immense.
2 Schalk Brits (Saracens) Playing as well as ever and gives Saracens an extra dimension as a ball-runner.
3 Logovi'i Mulipola (Leicester) Dan Cole has been injured but Leicester have not missed him as much as they might have done, thanks to the big Samoan.
4 Michael Paterson (Sale) The Sale forwards have been conspicuously well drilled and the New Zealand-born lock has turned out to be the signing of the season.
5 Courtney Lawes (Northampton) Just edges out Steve Borthwick and Joe Launchbury for the impact he has had for Northampton all over the park.
6 Samu Manoa (Northampton) When he plays well, Saints normally win. Hugely difficult to contain at his best.
7 Daniel Braid (Sale) For Sale to finish in the top five required some top-class on-field leadership. Braid just pips the similarly influential Jacques Burger (Saracens) and Chris Robshaw (Harlequins).
8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens) Still improving but already the go-to man for his club and England at the age of 21.
Replacements D Ward (Harlequins), M Ayerza (Leicester), D Wilson (Bath), E Slater (Leicester), J Burger (Saracens), R Wigglesworth (Saracens), G Ford (Bath), C Pennell (Worcester).
